key et a



Nov. 16, 1926. 1,607,353 J. F. KEY ET Al.

COUPLI NG Filed Jan. .'50, 1922 Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

AUNITI-"5D lSTATES OFFICE.

JAMES F. KEY, OF SIERRA MADRE, AND EUGENE HOLY, 0F LGS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. ASSIG-NORS TO FIRST TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK OF PA'SADENA, TRUSTEE.

CO UPLING.

Application filed January 30, 1922. Serial No. 532,832.

vThis invention relates to improvements in air hose couplings such as are employed for temporarily connecting an airhosento the inflating nipple of an automobile tire. .It relates particularly to that type of coupling described in Patent No. 1,385,080 issued Iuly 19, 1921, to J ames F. Key. AIn they coupling described in that patent, the couplingvis constructed vwith an opening lon its under side into which thesend vof the inflating nipple of the tire wasl received. In making the con- -nection, it was necessary to apply the coupling to the threaded end of theginlating nipple with the longitudinal axis of the coupling in a tilted or inclined position with respect to the axis of the nipple; and the coupling was then swung down into a'substantially horizontal position; when the coupling was swung down in this way, threads formed on the edge of the receiving opening of they coupling interlocked with the threads of the iniiating nipple' and this operated to lock the coupling temporarily on the iniiating. nipple. veiition as shown in that patent, the opening to receive the end ofthe iniiating nipple was formed directly in the body, and the Washer which the end of the nipple seats against was insertedtlirough theupper side of the body, being retained by the plug which screwed into t-he body from above. This embodiment of the invention entails a very considerable number of machine operations which increased the cost of the coupling. In the other embodiment of the invention disclosed in the patent, the opening into the body was made from below and the receiving opening was formed in a bushing which heldv the washer in place and was in turn held in place by a threaded ferrule which screwed into the under side'of the body. In this latter embodiment of the invention, if the retaining ferrule should `come loose, it would permit rotation of the iniiercferrule or bushing so that the threads of the bushing might accidentally move out of their proper align-- ing position; and this is important becauseV the end of the air hosecarrying the. coupling is subjected torough usage by dropping onto Vthe ground or floor. f i

It was found in practice also that the person using the coupling would tend naturallyy to apply it to the infiating nippleina horizontal position,

In one embodiment of tlie inand therefore it was necessary to educate the persons using this coupling in orderl to assure thatl they would apply it to the infiating nipple in the tilted or inclined position, referred to above.

The general object of this invention is to produce a'couplingof this type, but con,- structed iiisuch a way that it couldv be applied to the inflat-ing nipple i-na.V substantialy horizontalposition, after which a slight downward rotation of the coupling would interlock the; edge of the receiving opening with the threadsV ofthe iniating nipple to hold-the coupling in place. It is also an object of this, invention to improvethe general construction of this type of coupling so as to overcome thediilicultfies referred to above and to provide a coupling of Afew parts in which the ,iiecessary machine operations would be simplitied, and to provide such a coupling in which the seri-ations or threads to.,.engagethefnipple would not be yformed directly on the body, and yet in the complete coupling they could not moveV out of their proper Laligning posit-ion for eife'ctively engaging the threads-of the inflating nipple. Various other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, which form a. part of this disclosure, and which illustrate a perferred' form of embodiment ofthe invention.

Of the drawing-sg' Fig.A l is an elevation of my improved coupling connected to an air hose and in the iirst position of engagement over a tire valve stem.

Fig. 2 is a bottom-plan view.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, the coupling` being in the final position of engagement with the threads ofthe tirevalve stem.

Fig. 4 is a top plan'view of the coupling.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of thecoupling body withv the associated parts removed.

Fig. Gis a ing ring.

. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the iieXible washer.

Fig. 8 isan enlarged plan view of the valve tripping stud.V

plan view of the washer retain'- F i0. 9l is a`v lan view showin@f Vthe inner b f 2D surface. of the retaining' plate.

Fig. 10 is a section showing a modified form of structure.

lIn practicing our invention, we provide an eyeplate which seats upon the under face of the body of the coupling, and this eye-plate is secured to the under side of the body by means such as screws. This eye-plate has an opening through it to align withan air chamber within the coupling and is constructed in such a way as to permit the insertion of the threaded end of the intlating nipple with the axis of the air chamber ot' the coupling body tilted up into an inclined position with respect to the axis of the inflating nipple. This eye-plate has serrations or threads in the edge of its opening which operate to interlock with the threads of the infiating nipple when the body of the coupling is swung downwardly to a substantially horizontal position; and we provide a center pin which is held by the washer and projects down trom it to engage with the stem ot the air valve ot the intiating nipple to open it when the coupling is applied to the nipple. Mounting the pin in this way gives it a certain mobility at its lower end which is desirable because it Jfacilitates bringing the lower end of the pin into aligning position with the stem of the air valve of the iniating nipple. The eye-plate operates to retain the washer in position, and means is associ ated with it tor this purpose.

vWe will now describe the invention more in detail, as embodied in the construction set torth in the accompanying specication and drawings. f

eicerring to the drawings, 1 designates the body ot the coupling which has a longitudinal stem or neck 2 adapted to engage in an air hose 3, said hose being clamped thereon by any suitable forni of hose clamp such as illustrated at 4.

The body has a longitudinal air passage or duct 5 extending through the neck 2 and con'nnunicating with the air hose, said air passage also communicating with a circular recess constituting an air chamber 6 in the body. The wall ot the chamber 6 is formed to provide an annular seat 7 for engagement by a washer of compressible material, such as a rubber ring 8 having a central aperture or air port 9. The chamber 6 is further enlarged to form a second annular seat 10 against which engages a keeper ring 11 having a tapered or substantially conical throat aligning with the air port 9 in the washer 8. The inner surface ot the ring 11 has an annular rib 12 which embeds into the peripheral portion of the washer S and clamps it against the annular seat 7.

The base oi the air chamber 6 has a recess 1E into which loosely seats a stud or center pin 14, and this pin extends through the port 9 in the washer 8 and is preferably formed with a tapered terminal end which,lwhen the coupling is engaged over a tire inflat-ing nipple, serves to open the air valve by engaging its stem in the manner usual with this typte ot device. To maintain communication past the pin 14 it is provided with an air passage which may be a narrow slot 15 extending in'- wardly to a. point well past the inner tace of the washer, and to retain the stud or pin in place we provide a. split pin 16 extending transversely through the stud immediately adjacent the inner tace ot the washer;

The keeper or retaining ring 11 is clamped in place by a retaining plate in the forni ot an eye-plate 17 having a. slight countersink 18 engaging over the outer surface of said ring; this plate seats against the under 'tace ot' the body 1 and is secured to it by screws 1S). The plate 17 has a bore or eye-opening 2O vertically aligned with the axis of the washer 8 and stud 14, said opening being preferably extended laterally, and toward the lett in Fig. 2, that is to say, in a direction longitudinal ot the coupling; and diainetrically opposite said elongation the edge ot the opening is provided with serrations or screw-threads 21 ot a pitch coinciding with that of the screw-threads of a standard tire intlating nipple.

This construction provides a body having an air chamber terminating with a receiving throat elongated laterally in one direction and provided with an adjacent guiding abutment for the nipple and formed with an opposite threaded edge or wall.

In use, the coupling is engaged over the tirevalve stem in the position shown in Fig.

1, in such position the stem 2 and hose 3 be-` ing substantially in a horizontal plane, or in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the stem. By thus applying the coupling, the chamber 6 and associated parts have a tilted or angled position relative to the vertical axis ot the iniiating nipple so that the coupling is first engaged over the nipple without engaging the threads 21 with the threads'o'f said stem, also the hose 3 serving as a handle for the coupling, is in a posit-ion which experience has demonstrated as the one naturally used by most persons in using such a device. In other words it the stem or neck 3 were extended at right angles to the vertical axis of the chamber 6, the coupling would have to be first applied to' the valve stem while in a tilted position, as disclosed in the aforesaid Key patent. This required that the public had to be individually instructed in the use of the coupling, whereas with the neck or stein 3 making an acute angle with ythe axis of the chamber 6l as herein disclosed such individual instruction becomes unnecessary.

During the initial engagement of the coupling upon the nipple, when the coupling is applied in the relation indicated in Fig. V1, and the washerv 8 is pressed upon the top edge ot' the nipple with sufficient torce to compress the washer, such compression of the washer being limited by the tapered nose ot the stud 14 engaging the end ot the nipple, the pin or stud 14 also engagingthe llU weisse valve stem within. the nipple to' upenn and hold it in open position as' is usual this type' of! coupling'. n

kThe coupling is' then! swung downwardly to the substantially 'horizontal position shown in F 3, and in this' movement the coupling fulcr-uins on a point Q3 on the retaining ring ll, and the threads 2l Swing into engagement with the adjacent side ot' the threaded end ot the inflatin-g nipple, and the end of the .opposite side ofthe nipple engaging the threads' 21 ot the retaining ring 1l, and the point Q3 acts as .an abutment which, as long as the coupling is reta-ined with the `chamber 6 aligned with the inflating nipple, will retain the threads 2l of the coupling in Aen'gageine,nt with the threads ot the nipple.

Y Vith the coupling so engaged upon an inliating nipple` the inherentA elasticity of Lthe washer 8 coupled with the weightvoff the overhanging coupling stem and et the hote will serve to'r prevent an upward tilting otl the coupling to a releasing position and so long as the effect of this overhanging Weight is not destroyed by lifting up the air hose the coupling will automatically be 'retained uponthe intlating nipple'.

`With the coupling applied to the tire inflating nipple the compressed air iis turned into the air hose 3 to innate the tire, and the air in the chamber', acting upon the inner surface of the rubber washer 8,*wi'll cause said Washerto press outwardly with great torce against the end ot the iniiating nipple in a straight axial direction. This pressure will serve to more irmly lock :the coupling on the nipple, for thefreason that, with the pressure equally distributed, the pull of thev coupling on the stem is directed axially, and as the threaded engagement et .the coupling with one side ot the nipple prevents movement et the coupling on the one side the tendency of the coupling would be to rock on the threaded plate, using the threads 21 as a tulCrum. This tendency is arrested by the abutment wall 23 engaging against the vend of the inflatino' Vni ile and the cou alino t) D for this reason becomes lirmly locked upon' the stem, it will therefore `be evident that the greater the pressure ot the yair in the chamber G, the tighter will the coupling be retained on the tirevalve. stem.

- This automatic function of a couplingl of t iis character is more fully explained inthe aforesaid Key patent to which attention is directed for a more detailed description.

The provision ot the detachable lretaining plate l? herein illustrated has several dis. tine-t advantages, Yfirst, as the coupling body is usual-ly made of relatively soft cast metal such construction enables the plate 11T-to be made .ot a hard metalll which will vwithstan'd exceptiona'll hardvusageV .and in vhieh fthe nnethreads-Ql have a hingeeient Second i-n-'a coupling of this character it is necessary that thebore or opening 20 be accurately alignedwith the' axis of the chamber 6 andthat the threads 2l be positioned under the longitudinal horizontal axisvoit` the coupling. In the construction shown the provision oi" the countersink 1S engaging over the edge of the ring 11 facilitates such accurate alignment, and the fastening ot the plate to the body in a deiinite position insures the ac urate positioning o'rl the screwthreads Ql-ielative to the coupling.

The construction and niounting center pin-.or stud 14 is particularly advantage-ous in couplings which have a tilting action in their engagement with a valve stem. In this connection it will at once be evidentthat as the end kot the innating nipple first engages the washer and then has'a slight rocking actionA on the washer as the couplingy is tilted; hence it will be understood that the outer end of the stud 14 should be capable ot a slight transverse movement ot the or wobble but at the same time, on account ot its being mounted in the Washer, it will have a tendency to automatically return to true axial alignment. This requirement-is niet by the present construction wherein the stud lll is closely engaged` by the Washer and is thereby yieldingly maintained in axial alignment. The slot l5 in said stud provides a continuous air passage and the pin 16 prevents said stud Working outwardly through the washer.

To deline'the' disposition of the stem or neck 2 it may be said to extend outwardly from the body and downwardly relative to the horizontal plane 'of the body, said hori- Zontal plane being lconsidered the plane of the plate 17 which is positioned at right angles to the vertical axis of the body.

In Fig. l0 we have illustrated a. structure of slightly modiiied form in which the retaining plate ybears directly against the elastic washer thereby including in one piece all the functions of the previously Adescribed plate 17 and retaining ring' ll.

This form for the retaining plate or eyeplate is practicable where itis feasible to construct the plate in quantities as a dropforging, but the eye-plate of this form is not :well'adapted to be produced by inea'nsof cutting tools. We rather prefer to employ the construction shown in Fig. 3, in which the keeper means Ais in the form of a ring l1 having a .coni-cal bore on its under side, because this form of keeper can be produced readily inlarge quantities very cheaply, and Awhile ,the conical 'face at the right hand side of the ring, as viewed in Fig. 3, may `not per- Cil form any useful function, it is overhung by 'Whether thering. rota-tesor `not on its"` 5.

connection to a tire initiating nipole, a body having an air chamber termina 1with a receiving throat elongated laterally in one direction and having an adjacent abutment. and formed with an opposite threaded wall and an elastic member delining the base oV said throat` the body having a noch 'a duct to comn'iunicate nf'ith uhe cliambel, neel; extending outwardly troni the bod alignment with the elongation ot the l and torniing an acute angle With the longitudinal axis of the throat.

ln air hose coupling adapted for connection with a valve stem, a body having an chamber terminating in a receiving throat, an apertured elastic member forming a partition across said chamber to detine the base of the receiving throat, a retaining member with screws securing to the under side ot the body in fixed position and retaining the elastic member in piace, said retaining member having a bore'extended laterally in one direction With its Opposite Wall provided with screiv threads, and means co-operating with the body and retaining member to positively center said retainino'smember, and thereby determine the position of said screw-threaded Wall relative to the bocy.

3. ln an air hose coupling adapted for connection to a tire inlating nipple, body having an air chamber terminating in a receiving throat, an apertured elastic Washer deiining the base of said throat, a center pin in said chamber and extending into the aperture of the elastic iv sher and yieldingly retained thereby in normal axial alignment, said pin'having a longitudinal air passage opening communication between the throat and the air chamber and being positioned `tor its inner end to lie normally against the body to hold. said pin against inward movement, and means carried by t ie pin and engaging the inner face of the elastic member to prevent the pin from Working outwardly through the aperture in the elastic member.

el. ln an air hose coupling adapted for connection With a tire inflating nipple, a body having an air chamber and an annular seat, an apertured elastic member engaging said seat and forming a partition across said chamber to deiine the base ot a receiving throat, and a retaining plate-With means for securing it to the body in a single oriented position, and retaining the elastic member in place, said plate having an opening elongated laterally in one direction with its opposite edge provided with screw-threads.

5. ln an air hose coupling adapted connection with a tire initiating nipple, a body having an air chamber and providing an annular seat, an apertured elastic n ember engaging said seat and forming a partition across said chamber to deline the base of a receiving throat, a retaining ring' forming a receiving throat and engere-ing the elastic member, and a retaining plate clampino the ring against the elastic member and secured to the body in fixed position, said plate havingl a bore elongated laterally in one direction with its opposite Wall previded With screw-threads.

6. ln an air hose coupling for connecting air hose to the intlating nipple cfa tire, the combination oi a body having a neck With an air duct to connect it to the air hose, said body having an air chamber extending into the same from its under side, an annular Washer seat Within trie body, a Washer of coinpressible material Within the air chamber held upon said seat from below, an eyeplate formed as a part distinct from the body seating upon the `under tace of the body, a plurality of screws for securing the same to the under side of the body and operating to hold the eye-plate in a deiinitely aligned posit-ion, said eye-plate having an opening therethrough aligning Withthe air chamber constructed permit the insertion of the threaded end or" the initiating nipple with the axis ot the air c rob-er tilted up into an inclined position with respect to the axis of the ini'iating nipple, said eye-plate having serrationsgon the edge of its opening operating to interlock with the threads of the initiating nipple -when the body lis swung downwardly, and thereby hold the coublino'l on the ini/'latino' ni unie c; c: i 7

said eye-plate operating to the ira-sher in the air chamber and against the saic Washer seat, and a center pin progfecting down from the Washer to engage the stem of the air-valve of the initiating nipple to open the same when the coupling is applied tothe nipple, said pin having an air passage therethrough to open communication trom the air hose to the nipple. i

7. ln an air hose coupling for connecting air hose to the inflating nipple ot a tire, the combination oiI a body having a neclr with an air duct to connect it to the air hose, said, body having an air chamber extending into the same Jjrom its under side, a Washeroi compressible material within the air chamber, an eye-plate :termed as a part distinct Cfr from the body seating uponthe under face of the body, arplurality of screws for securingthe saine to the under side of the body Vand operating to hold the eye-plate in a delinitely aligned position, said eye-plate having an opening therethrough aligning with the air chamber constructed to permit the insertion of the threaded end of Lthe inating nipple with the axis of the air chamber tilted up into an inclined position with respect to the axis of the inlating nipple, said eyeplate having serrations' on the edge of its opening operating to interlock with the threads of the inflating nipple when the body is swung downwardly, and therebyihold the coupling on the inlating nipple, a center-pin projecting down from theV washer to engage the stem of the air valve of the inlating nipple to open the same when the coupling is applied to the nipple, and having an air passage therethrough to open communication from the air-.hose to the nipple, and keeper means associated with the eye-plate to engage the washer and retain the same upon said washer seat.

8. ln an air hose coupling for connecting air hose to the inflating nipple of a tire, the combination oi' a body having a neck with an air duct toy connectitto the air hose, said body having an air chamber extending into the same from its under side, a washer of compressible material within the air chamber, an eye-plate seating upon the under tace oi' the body, means for securing the saine to the under side ot' the body, said eye-plate having an opening therethrough aligning with the air chamber constructed to permit the insertion ot the threaded end of the inlating nipple with the axis yoit' the air chamber tilted up into an inclined position with respect to the axis of the iniating nipple, said eye-plate having sei'rations on the edge of its opening operating to interlock with the threads of the inlating nipple when the body is swung downwardly, and thereby hold the coupling on the iniiating nipple, a center-pin projecting down through the washer to engage the stem of the air valve of the inflating nipple to open the same when the coupling is applied to the nipple, and having an air passage therethrough to open communication from the air hose to the nipple, and a. keeper-ring between the eye-plate and the washer for retaining the washer.

9. In an air hose coupling for connecting Vcompressible material within the air chambei', an eye-plate seating'upon the under tace of the body, means for securing the same to the under side of the bony, said eye-plate having an opening therethrough aligning with the air chamber constructed to permit the insertion of the threaded end of the'iniating nipple with the axis of the air chainber tilted upinto an inclined position with.

respect to the axis oi3 the inflating nipple, said eye-plate having serrations on the edge ot its opening operating to interlock with the threads of the -inilating nipple when the body is swung downwardly, and thereby hold the coupling on the inating nipple, a center-pin projecting down through the vwasher to engage the stem of the air valve of the inflating nipple to open the same when the coupling is applied to the nipple,vand having an air passage therethrough to open communication from the air hose to the nipple, and a keeper-ring washer for retaining the washer, said keeperring having a substantially conical guide face on its under side for guiding the ini'iating nipple into position in the coupling.

l0. In an air hose coupling for connecting air hose to the iniiating nipple of a tire, the combination of a body having aneck with an air duct to connect to the air hose, said body having an air chamber extending into the same from its under side, the axis of said neck inclining downwardly with respect to thehorizontal line when the axis of the air chamber is in a vertical position, said coupling having an opening on its under side for guiding the iniiating nipple of the. tire into t-he air chamber and having means within the air l chamber for opening communication through the neck to the inliating nipple, said opening having Vserrations substantially in alignment with the vertical plane passing through said neck, constructed to engage and interlock with the threaded extremity of the inllating nipple.

Sign-ed at Los Angeles, California, this 24th dayof January, 1922.

JAMES r. Knr. EUGENE HoLY.

etween the eye-plate and the' 

